1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a contents distribution and usage configuration wherein use of contents are enabled with confirmation of contents usage rights as a precondition thereof, and more particularly relates to an information processing device, contents distribution server, license server, and method and computer program, wherein a contents using device, configured of a contents player such as a personal computer or a dedicated player or the like, connects to a usage rights information storage device storing usage rights information of contents to obtain the usage rights information, and transmits the obtained usage rights information to a contents distribution server to obtain the contents, thereby enabling use of the contents.
2. Description of the Related Art
As of recent, various types of software data, such as music and other like audio data, movies and other like image data, game programs, application programs, etc. (hereafter, these and other like types of electronic data will be collectively referred to as “contents”), have come to be distributed via networks such as the Internet, and various types of recording media such as DVDs and CDs and the like. These distributed contents are used by personal computers, players, game devices, and so forth, owned by users.
Generally, with most types of contents such as music data or image data, the creator or distributor thereof holds the distribution rights thereof. Accordingly, the user receives and plays or uses the contents upon paying a usage fee for example to obtain usage rights for the contents. For example, in the event that the contents are distributed by storage media such as DVDs or CDs, the usage fee is collected at the time of sale of the storage media such as the DVD or CD, and in the event that the contents are being distributed via a network such as the Internet, the value of the contents, i.e., the usage fees, are collected from the user by obtaining user information such as the credit card No. of the user or the like at the time of distributing the contents.
With conventional network-distribution type pay contents distribution systems, once contents are purchased via a network by a terminal which is to use the contents, the playing rights information for the purchased contents is only valid within that terminal. That is to say, the contents usage rights are closed within the terminal, so the contents can be played or used at the contents purchasing terminal based on the usage rights obtained at the time of purchasing the contents, but the obtained contents cannot be used at other terminals or players or the like.
In the event that the user wants to play or use the same contents with multiple terminals, the user must purchase the same contents for each terminal, which is disadvantageous to the user since this forces the user to hold duplicate assets. Now, contents stored in storage media such as DVDs or CDs can be played or used on various players, meaning that the user is not presented with the above problem, most network-distribution type contents have an inseparable configuration with the usage rights thereof, and accordingly, use of the contents are restricted to the device or terminal which was used to purchase the contents. This is a problem, since network-distribution type contents are thus restricted in the format of use by the user in comparison with contents stored in storage media such as DVDs or CDs.
In order to configure a system wherein contents usage rights information can be moved between different players or terminals, a protocol needs to be established so that loss or duplication of rights never occurs when moving the usage rights information, so an architecture which does away with unauthorized obtaining and using of usage rights information is indispensable. Also, the rights information and contents data which the user has purchased legitimately is stored in a storage device capable of long-term storage, such as a hard disk within the terminal, flash memory, or the like, but in the event that the reliability of the storage device is not very high, the rights information or contents data may be unintentionally lost. Once this happens, the user will not be able to play or use the contents even though purchased legitimately.
Now, an arrangement might be conceived wherein a completely members-only contents distribution system is operated such that the purchase history of member users is saved at a center, and contents being purchased are distributed to the user following checking, but such a system places a great load on the administrative center, leading to increased costs. Further, with contents sold in conventional manners, as opposed to contents being left open for updates and services, contents once sold cannot be altered in any way for all practical purposes.
Also, configurations have been proposed wherein the number of times or the period of usage of the contents is set in the usage rights information of the contents, but in the event of confirming usage limitations (the number of times or period) with a contents using terminal, player, personal computer, or the like, all control is performed by software, which always leaves the possibility that a user with malicious intent might attack the software that is running and use the contents in unauthorized ways.